How to work chain stitch
Linked loops that make a bold line, or a filling when worked in rows.
Step by step
- Bring the needle up at the start of the line.
- Take it back down into the same hole, leaving a small loop on top.
- Bring the needle up one stitch length along the line, inside the loop.
- Pull gently so the loop wraps around the thread; that is your first link.
- Go back down into the same hole you just came up through to start the next loop, and repeat.
- Anchor the last loop with a tiny straight stitch over it.
Pinny's tip
Do not pull the loops tight; let them sit round and plump.
Do not pull the loops tight; let them sit round and plump.
Watch
How to do chain stitch | Beginners flosstube hand embroidery tutorial (5:42)
By Sarah Homfray Embroidery · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 5-minute video from Sarah Homfray Embroidery on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.